SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR NOVEL MATERIALS FOR SOLID HYDROGEN STORAGE
- Notice Date
- 2/23/2007
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- N00164 300 Highway 361, Building 64 Crane, IN
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- N0016407R6967
- Response Due
- 3/22/2007
- Description
- This synopsis is being posted to both the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) page located at http://www.fbo.gov and the Navy Electronic Commerce on Line (NECO) site located at http://www.neco.navy.mil. While it is understood that FBO is the single point of entry for posting of synopsis and solicitations to the internet, NECO is the alternative in case FBO is unavailable. Please feel free to use either site to access information posted by the NSWC Division Crane. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) are conducting research and development (R&D) efforts essential to identifying novel materials and processes that can provide potential breakthroughs in solid hydrogen storage and accelerate the adoption of these technologies by the military. On-board hydrogen storage is considered to be one of the most technically challenging barriers for the successful widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and subsequent reduction in U.S. petroleum imports. Many DOD applications require hydrogen storage and generation systems to be situated in confined spaces or battlefield environments (dust, broad temperature range, sea salt atmosphere, etc.). The overarching objectives of this program are to significantly increase the Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) associated with solid-state hydrogen storage materials and solid-state hydrogen storage systems integrated into vehicles. Specific areas of interest (?concept areas?) include, but are not limited to: 1. High throughput combinatorial screening techniques to rapidly identify novel or breakthrough solid-state hydrogen storage materials for a broad range of adsorbent and doped materials suitable for military applications that can reversibly and reproducibly store hydrogen. 2. Sub-scale prototypes incorporating solid-state materials for the storage of hydrogen for Defense applications. Specific goals for each concept area include, but are not limited to: Concept area #1: ? Developing screening processes and techniques applicable to a broad range of adsorbents, including doped materials, aimed at increasing hydrogen adsorption energies (above the typical 5 kJ/mol for such materials). ? Delivering the screening process documentation to demonstrate the ability to reproducibly screen a minimum of 10 solid state material adsorbents per run. o Measuring adsorption at cryogenic temperatures (77 K) up to 150 C and up to 50 atmospheres Concept area #2: ? Demonstration sub-scale prototypes that include all necessary system components necessary for charge and discharge operation including thermal management, reactant flow control, humidification, etc., and that have the following characteristics: o Storage capacity in the range from 0.1kg to less than 1kg of hydrogen (proposer shall specify) o Maximum storage pressure of 200 atmospheres o Moderate temperature of discharge (less than 150?C) o Discharge rate adequate to power fuel cell stack with between 0.5KW and 5KW peak power (proposer shall specify) ? Prototype evaluation and documentation identifying: o Potential environmental and safety issues, such as venting or gas leakage, related to the proposed technology. o Operating performance such as kinetics of hydrogen charging and release o Operability over a range of temperature conditions and durability o Performance and durability under exposure to contaminants encountered in military (combat zone) environments o Overall system gravimetric and volumetric energy capacity NSWC Crane and DLA are interested in receiving proposals in the aforementioned areas. Proposals may be basic research, applied research, or advanced technology development. Proposals cannot be for development of specific systems or hardware solutions but must be non-specific and have potential benefit across a wide spectrum of DOD applications. However, in all cases, applicants should demonstrate that their proposed effort is aimed at high-payoff technologies that have the potential for making, in the 5-10 year timeframe, significant improvements to national security and military operations. This notice constitutes a combined synopsis and Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) as contemplated in FAR Part 6.102(d)(2). It is intended that this BAA be open until one year from its initial publication. Proposals for initial contract awards are due no later than 22 March 2007. NSWC Crane encourages participation by small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, HUBZone small businesses, woman-owned small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, and historically black colleges and universities and minority institutions. However, no part of this BAA is specifically reserved for these entities. Proposals may be submitted by all types of applicants except other Federal agencies, federal laboratories and Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) contractors. Typically each proposal may be funded incrementally for periods up to two years subject to the availability of appropriations. Multiple awards are anticipated. The funding allocated to this program for all awards is planned at $1,500,000 for 2007 with any additional funding subject to appropriations. Awards are expected to be between $300,000 and $400,000. NSWC Crane reserves the right to entertain larger proposals based on the availability of funds. More than one effort may be funded for an individual topic area, and deliverables should demonstrate the results of scientific study and experimentation. The amount of resources made available to this BAA will depend on the quality of the proposals received and the availability of funds. While there is no specific requirement for cost and duration of the proposed effort, it is recommended that applicants include a Phase I of 12 to 18 months in length that addresses the most critical issues on the path to success. A go/no go decision point with criteria for the decision should be included at the end of the Phase I work scope. There will be a pre-proposal conference for potential offerors on the below date. This pre-proposal conference will explain and clarify the objectives of this program and allow prospective offerors to ask questions. Government personnel will respond to questions, but the information contained within this BAA or amendments to it take precedence over verbal responses. Any questions or clarifications that result in material changes to this BAA will be addressed by a written amendment to this BAA. Date: March 8, 2007 Where: Crystal City Marriott 1999 Jefferson Davis Highway Arlington, Virginia 22202 Time: 9:00 A.M. ? 12:00 P.M. Point of Contact: Ken Burt (812) 854-2139 LogR&D@navy.mil The Government may have to limit the number of representatives that each company is allowed to register so that the maximum number of companies can participate. Interested firms are encouraged to attend. If you plan to attend the pre-proposal conference, you must send an email to the point of contact with the below information NLT 1200 March 5, 2007: a) Name of Firm b) Name(s) and Title of Representative(s) who will attend c) Address of Firm d) Phone number(s), fax number, and e-mail address(es) The pre-proposal conference will also be available via web cast. All Firms interested in accessing the pre-proposal conference via web cast should register with the point of contact identified above by 5 March 2007 to obtain the URL, client ID and password. Prospective offerors are requested to submit questions in writing prior to March 5, 2007 to the point of contact via email to allow for inclusion and discussion during the pre-proposal conference. Questions will be considered at any time prior to or during the conference. Responses to some questions may be incorporated in an amendment to this BAA. The Government will not be liable for expenses incurred by an offeror prior to contract award. Offerors are cautioned that remarks and explanations provided at the conference shall not change the terms of this BAA unless the change(s) is amended in writing. Proposals for non-innovative, marginal improvements are inappropriate under BAA authority and will not be considered for funding. Proposals that are not within the topic areas described above will be considered out of scope and will not be evaluated. Proposals that demonstrate significant cost sharing by private sector or other government funding are strongly encouraged. All criteria as outlined in FAR 35.016 are applicable. Each proposal is limited to 20 pages including attachments and supplementary materials. Proposals shall include a technical description of the effort, a preliminary schedule, identification of risks, and a cost estimate. Interested parties may submit more than one Proposal. Proposals should clearly identify which concept area(s) they are responding to. Offerors should submit the proposals electronically with cost and technical proposals in separate files. Proposals will be evaluated using the following evaluation criteria: a. Overall relevance to the Department of Defense and the scientific and technical merits of the proposed effort; b. Degree to which new and creative solutions to technical issues important to the area of interest are proposed and the comprehensiveness of the technical data produced from the proposed effort; c. The qualifications, capabilities and experience of the organization or consortium with hydrogen implementations and the offeror's capabilities, related experience, facilities, techniques or unique combinations of these critical to achieving the BAA objectives; d. The degree to which the proposed costs are reasonable and realistic and the quality, amount and extent of proposed cost share in the pilot programs. These criteria are listed in descending order of importance, and the non-price factors, when taken together, are significantly more important than price, but evaluated prices or costs must be reasonable and realistic to enable the Government to make an award. THE GOVERNMENT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SELECT FOR FUNDING ANY, ALL, PART, OR NONE OF THE RESPONSES RECEIVED. Any responsible business may submit a proposal. Please send proposals via e-mail to LogR&D@navy.mil. Please refer to BAA number N00164-07-R-6967in all correspondence and communications.
- Web Link
-
NSWC CRANE WEB PAGE
(http://www.crane.navy.mil/acquisition/synopss.htm)
- Record
- SN01238199-W 20070225/070223221745 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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